What test allows a therapist to assign a specific grade to a muscle based on resistance and range of motion?

The chosen answer is the most appropriate because manual muscle testing (MMT) specifically focuses on evaluating the strength of a muscle or muscle group. This assessment is conducted by applying resistance to the muscle while the patient attempts to move against that resistance. The therapist grades the muscle strength on a scale, typically from 0 to 5, where 0 indicates no muscle contraction and 5 indicates normal strength against full resistance.

In contrast, a range of motion assessment primarily measures how far a joint can move in different directions, without directly quantifying muscle strength. Functional movement screening evaluates overall movement patterns to identify functional deficiencies or imbalances but does not assign specific grades to muscle strength. Strength assessment, while related to MMT, is often a broader term that may include various tools and methods to evaluate strength without the focused grading scale provided by MMT. Thus, manual muscle testing is uniquely suited to assigning specific grades to muscle strength based on resistance and range of motion.